Dem. Oppose not Scythia to ambitious Rome. To tremble under Titus' threatening looks. Upon the Thracian tyrant in her tent,(6) May favour Tamora, the queen of Goths, When Goths were Goths, and Tamora was queen,bloody wrongs upon her foes. To quit her Re-enter LUCIUS, QUINTUS, MARTIUS, and MUTIUS, with their swords bloody. Luc. See, lord and father, how we have perform'd Our Roman rites: Alarbus' limbs are lopp'd, And entrails feed the sacrificing fire, Whose smoke, like incense, doth perfume the sky. Make this his latest farewell to their souls. [Trumpets sounded, and the coffin laid in the tomi.($) peace and honour rest you here, my sons; Rome's readiest champions, repose you here, (9) In Secure from worldly chances and mishaps! (6) in her tent,] "ie. in the tent where she and the other Trojan captive women were kept; for thither Hecuba by a wile had decoyed Polymnestor, in order to perpetrate her revenge. This we may learn from Euripides's Hecuba," &c. THEOBALD.-The old eds. have "in his tent."-The writer of this speech (certainly not Shakespeare) seems to have been rather familiar with the classics. (her] The old eds. have "the."-"Read 'her' [with Rowe], or perhaps these." Walker's Crit. Exam., &c., vol. iii. p. 216. (8) the coffin laid in the tomb.] So the quartos ("lay the Coffin in the Tombe").-The folio has "the Coffins ; but compare the earlier stage-direction, p. 277, "two Men bearing a coffin. set down the coffin."-From the language used by Titus while speaking of his dead sons, Mr. W. N. Lettsom thinks that "the author could scarcely have intended only one coffin to be produced: the company, no doubt, exhibited only one coffin because they possessed no more." (9) repose you here,] "Old copies, redundantly in respect both to sense and metre, 'repose you here in rest.'" STEEVENS. Nay, most ridiculously in respect to sense. Here lurks no treason, here no envy swells, Here grow no damnèd grudges, here no storms,(10) Enter LAVINIA. In peace and honour rest you here, my sons! Tit. Kind Rome, that hast thus lovingly reserv'd And fame's eternal date, for virtue's praise! Enter, below, MARCUS ANDRONICUS and Tribunes; re-enter Marc. Long live Lord Titus, my belovèd brother, Tit. Thanks, gentle tribune, noble brother Marcus. You that survive, and you that sleep in fame! That in your country's service drew your swords: (10) Here grow no damnèd grudges, here no storms,] The quartos and the folio have " here are no stormes."-The editor of the second folio omits "are," which Walker seems not to have known, when he remarked as follows on the present line; "Qu. 'grudge';' for the supernumerary syllable is, I think, altogether alien to the metre of this play. Or did the author write' here no storms'? 'here' for 'here are, a Latinism." Shakespeare's Versificution, &c., 1. 254. Whose friend in justice thou hast ever been, Tit. A better head her glorious body fits (13) Sat. Romans, do me rightPatricians, draw your swords, and sheathe them not Till Saturninus be Rome's emperor.— (11) proclamations] Mr. Collier's Ms. Corrector changes "proclamations" to "acclamations:" but compare, in p. 285, the words of Satur ninus, on his being chosen emperor, "Proclaim our honours, lords, with trump and drum." (12) abroach] So the third folio.—The earlier eds. have "abroad." (13) Titus, thou shalt obtain and ask the empery.] "Perhaps, 'Titus, Is not Marcus's a broken speech? He is going to add 'for Saturninus,' when he is interrupted by Saturninus himself. See context. 'Obtain and ask' is meant for a Latino-poetical vσTEρov πρотepov. The author of this first act, and of the other parts, evidently aims at the classical." Walker's Crit. Exam., &c., vol. iîì. p. 216. (14) Saturnine.] Here the old eds. have "Saturninus;" but three ties afterwards in the next page they have "Saturnine." Andronicus, would thou wert shipp'd to hell, Luc. Proud Saturnine, interrupter of the good Tit. Content thee, prince; I will restore to thee The people's hearts, and wean them from themselves Bas. Andronicus, I do not flatter thee, But honour thee, and will do till I die: My faction if thou strengthen with thy friends,(15) Of noble minds is honourable meed. Tit. People of Rome, and people's tribunes here, Will you bestow them friendly on Andronicus? And gratulate his safe return to Rome, The people will accept whom he admits. Tit. Tribunes, I thank you: and this suit I make, That you create your emperor's eldest son, Lord Saturnine; whose virtues will, I hope, [A long flourish. Sat. Titus Andronicus, for thy favours done. To us in our election this day I give thee thanks in part of thy deserts, (15) friends,] So the third folio.-The earlier eds. have “friend.” (16) empress,] Here, as in some other passages of this drama, "empress" is to be pronounced as a trisyllable. (Several of the modern editors Rome's royal mistress, mistress of my heart, Sat. Thanks, noble Titus, father of my life! Tit. [to Tamora] Now, madam, are you prisoner to an emperor; (18) To him that, for your honour and your state, Will use you nobly and your followers. Sat. [aside] A goodly lady, trust me; of the hue Though chance of war hath wrought this change of cheer, Rest on my word, and let not discontent Daunt all your hopes: madam, he comforts you Lav. Not I, my lord; sith true nobility print "emperess," and inconsistently, for in the present play where brethren" must be read as a trisyllable they do not print "bretheren.") (17) Pantheon] So the second folio.-The earlier eds. have "Pathan." (18) Now, madam, are you prisoner to an emperor;] "We should read, I think (Shakespeare's Versification, Art xxvi.), 'Now, madam, y'are prisoner to an emperor.'" Walker's Crit. Exum., &c., vol. iii. p. 216. |